The Card
Event: Takeova Battle League presents “Illadelphia”
Date: December 6, 2025
One of the most interesting parts of battle rap culture is predicting the outcome of battles. This is more of an art than a science, as battle rap is open to interpretation and deeply subjective. However, we shan’t be deterred.
You can purchase the PPV for the event here.
Let’s take a look at the Illadelphia card presented by Takeova Battle League. Here is a breakdown of Day one.
Main Event: Cassidy Vs. Eazy the Block Captain
Two weeks ago, I would have said that I thought Eazy would take this battle 2-1. The Block Captain is a veritable cheat code when it comes to winning battles. He’s incredibly difficult to clearly defeat in any arena, he’s undefeated on the URL.TV app, and he has an impeccable resume. He’s beaten some of the best and was able to make every match he’s “lost” debatable.
However, the pre-battle campaign that Cassidy has been on is slowly changing my mind—and I think the minds of others in the battle rap community.
- The Angle: Cassidy has primarily called into question whether or not Eazy is actually from Philadelphia as he’s been claiming his whole career. He calls Eazy a “liar” and proposes the question: What else is Eazy lying about?
- The Risk: There are problems with this approach. Cassidy is giving away quality material and angles that could have been revealed the day of the battle for maximum impact. This potentially serves Eazy, giving him an opportunity to write responses preemptively.
If Cassidy is using this as a way to throw Eazy off, it will be the best rope-a-dope since Ali Vs. Foreman. I’m not so sure that’s the case, but we’ll see. Furthermore, pre-battle interviews don’t count on the scorecard. At the end of the day, you have to show up and rap.
Prediction: Eazy The Block Captain (2-1)
I’m going off body of work and recent battles. Eazy clearly has a better battle rap resume and has been battle-tested recently, meaning no ring rust. That’s not to say Cassidy can’t make this debatable, but he will need more than the “you’re not from Philly” angle to win.
Watch the electrifying faceoff here.
Bill Collector Vs. Snake Eyez
Watching the faceoff for this battle was an intense experience; the energy could be felt through the screen. Snake Eyez, as always, displayed high passion and conviction. Bill Collector was the more chill of the two, but still remained animated.
I think Snake can sneak out a round off the strength of his aggression, but I’m not comfortable saying he’s going to beat Bill Collector in Philadelphia. For me, Bill is the more well-rounded of the two emcees.
Prediction: Bill Collector (2-1)
Reed Dollaz Vs. Cortez
Reed is a certified legend in battle rap and specifically in Philadelphia. However, looking at the current landscape, I think Cortez has a better chance of taking this battle.
For me, Cortez possesses a better pen and has definitely had more consistent success in the modern realm of battle rap than Reed has.
You can peep the faceoff for this battle here.
Prediction: Cortez (2-1)
A. Ward vs. Jey the Nitewing
This is an interesting matchup that has the potential to be Battle of the Night. It is also one of the hardest battles to predict on this card. Both emcees always produce premium content.
- A. Ward: We can expect superior rebuttals. Kimsey is a very smart writer, so I’m intrigued as to how he will work in his rebuttals against Jey. Regardless of how he works them in, expect a few room shakers.
- Jey the Nitewing: We can expect the “Mad King” to bring a majestic presence to the ring. Jey is able to execute very effective angles against his opponents and is second to none with crowd control.
Philly is known to have battle rap crowds that are unforgiving, but they also give props when due. There is no way Ward 3-0s Nitewing without a choke on Jey’s part, but with great writing and hard-hitting rebuttals in the pocket, I have to give the edge to Ward.
Prediction: A. Ward (2-1, Debatable)
Real Deal Vs. Chef Trez
Honestly, I have this battle going 2-1 either way. Both of these guys can write and we will definitely get some quality material.
Trez, “Mr. Three of them Things,” will have rebuttals on deck, which is always exciting. Real Deal can be expected to give us well thought out angles. To be honest, these are two lower-energy emcees, with Real Deal having slightly more energy of the two. Because Trez brings a slow, lackadaisical flow, it can sometimes come off as him being bored. Unfortunately, this can also produce a boring round. However, that doesn’t mean his material is bad. Real Deal is a staple in the battle rap community and can never be counted out.
Prediction: Toss Up
Chilla Jones Vs. Rosenberg Raw
Until the “Kingpen” shows signs of his pen fading, I’ll have him taking most battles. That remains true even with the card taking place in Raw’s home state of Pennsylvania.
The rugged street talk brought by Raw is always effective and can withstand the assault of almost any emcee’s bars, but Chilla is different. He will bring intricate schemes and premium penmanship. With Chilla on his A-game—which I’m assuming he will be—he is hard to beat. Rosenberg will definitely take a round, and as always, will produce a top-notch performance.
You can peep the faceoff for this battle here.
Prediction: Chilla Jones (2-1)
K-Walker Vs. Xcel
K-Walker isn’t brand new, but he hasn’t been around as long as Xcel. I like both of these rappers, with Xcel being my personal favorite of the two.
Funny enough, K-Walker seems to be less slept on than Xcel, even though Xcel is the senior. While many may have K-Walker taking this battle, I’m going with the vet. A Philly battle rap crowd has an appreciation for quality bars and content, and Xcel delivers this perfectly. He is always well-tuned and prepared.
K-Walker is believable, has a great pen, and has worked for everything he’s achieved so far, but I’m not sure he can overcome Xcel’s consistency here.
Prediction: Xcel (2-1)
Quick Prediction Recap
| Matchup | Predicted Winner | Score |
| Cassidy vs. Eazy | Eazy The Block Captain | 2-1 |
| Bill Collector vs. Snake Eyez | Bill Collector | 2-1 |
| Reed Dollaz vs. Cortez | Cortez | 2-1 |
| A. Ward vs. Jey the Nitewing | A. Ward | 2-1 |
| Real Deal vs. Chef Trez | Toss Up | 2-1 |
| Chilla vs. Rosenberg | Chilla Jones | 2-1 |
| K-Walker vs. Xcel | Xcel | 2-1 |
In Conclusion
As we count down the days to December 6th, the anticipation for Illadelphia is reaching a fever pitch. Takeova Battle League has put together a card that deftly blends legends, top-tier lyricists, and heated grudge matches, ensuring that the energy in the building will be electric. While metrics and past performances give us a baseline for these predictions, the beauty of battle rap lies in its unpredictability; one stumble or one room-shaking haymaker can flip a 3-0 script in seconds. We’ll be watching closely to see if Cassidy can back up his talk against Eazy and if the rest of the card delivers on its massive potential. Grab your popcorn, because Day 1 is shaping up to be one for the history books.
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